The Open Championship, St Andrews, 15-18 July
Coverage: Live on BBC TV, Red Button, BBC Sport website, with updates on BBC Radio 5 live Full coverage details

By Ged Scott BBC Sport at St Andrews

Robert Rock hits his tee shot on the second hole at St Andrews

Midlander Robert Rock made up for a first hole bogey as he carded a four-under 68 to sit high on the leaderboard on day one of the 139th Open Championship at St Andrews.

Rock's five birdies earned his lowest Open round in four appearances to date, but the Staffordshire golfer still wants more.

"Four under was a good score," Rock told BBC Sport. "But I played really, really well, there were opportunities for me and I was actually expecting a little better."

However, it was a poor day for Rock's Belfry colleague Tom Whitehouse, who shot 73.

After enveloping sixth hole bogey with birdies at seven and eight, Birmingham-born Whitehouse, playing with in-form Steven Tiley, reached the turn on one under.

But a run of four dropped shots in four holes, triggered by driving out of bounds at the 14th, scuppered his hopes.

I was just disappointed that I could not make that putt at 18 as five or maybe six under would have been a little more like it Robert Rock

And the superb 50-yard putt he rolled from right of the Valley of Sin to within five feet for a birdie at 18 was a mere consolation prize.

"The guys in the morning had it as easy as St Andrews is going to get," Whitehouse told BBC Sport.

"I was going along great until I hit it out of bounds on 14. Then I got stuffed with an awful lie in the rough on 17.

"But I still enjoyed it. It wasn't that bad a day and I've still got a chance if I play well tomorrow and hole a few putts."

By contrast, Rock had just two blots on his card - and both came within sight of the R & A clubhouse.

He put his approach in the burn at the first, where he dropped his only shot of the round. And he admitted that it felt like a dropped shot when, at 18, he pitched to five feet and then missed the putt.

"The pitch at the first was 107 yards," he said. "It was just a normal 52-degree wedge but there was a little bit of downward wind. I did not quite catch it right and top edged it a bit.

"A little bit of panic set in as I thought maybe I'd spoiled all the build-up with just one shot.

"But I then got up and down at the second, when I put my wedge to a foot and that reassured me that I was playing ok and that it was just a mistake.

"And I hardly hit a shot off line all the way round. I was just disappointed that I could not make that putt at 18 as five or maybe six under would have been a little more like it."

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